Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-04-26
LppROsY
IL 10 now quite Common I'm san
EranciScO.

lt II Now quite COMmuh IA Suh
rancisco.
The Report yesterday published the
opinions of several well-known physi-
oians ON the subject Of leprosy. The
D. r. reporters inquiries among other
doctors prove that the disease is at
traotinR much more attention among the
medical profession than ever, owing to
the manner in which this country and
especially this city is exposed TO it. Lep.
rosy. " hich was once quite prevalent in
Norway, particularly among the fisher.
men, is now dying out there. In Great
Britain scarcely case now exists, al.
though it was almost epidemic there.
II is alarmingly
ON THE INCREASE
Ia the Hawaiian Islands, and this should
alone cause some concern in this State,
owing to the traffic between the two
places. 1t is an insidious disease, and
all the more dangerous because it is so
mysteriously spread. No disinfectant
can be used, as in other diseases, even
when leprosy is known to be present, aud
even those ply sicians who have studied
and associated with lepers, and who ar
que that leprosy is not ntagious, are
afraid of being afflicted some time with it.
There are known to be seven lepers In
this city, who are living among the
residents the same as any other person.
HOW MANY MORE
Cases ia only matter of surmise. These
lepers are certain to spread the tell mall
ady, but still there is no law requiring
them to be segregated, and segregation
Is knowledged to be the only way Of
stopping the progress, Of the disease. A
person who has been associated with
any of these lepers muy not notice signs
of leprosy until perhaps many years
after the death of the patient, or when
he has gone to some other country. The
person wonders how he ever contracted
The disease, knowing that he has not
BEEN exposed to it fJr many years.
THE LOOSE HABITS
Of the native Hawaiians are calculated
to increase the yirulences Of leprosy in
that country, and it is predic,e that be-
fore many years the nation will have
disappeared. II every leper in The
islands were sent away to the settle
ment tor the afflicted it would bankrupt
the government, and for political reasons
the sufferers are not always shipped.
Many Iepers therefore eat out OF the
same dish as the rest OF the family while
living in the same hut. Such life, OF
course, is not calculated to etface the
disease. Leprosy exists to a certain ex-
tent in Africa, but still the cases are not
nearly so numerous as the customs
Of the people, which are. quite
similar to those Of the Sandwich
Islands, would lead one to believe. The
San Francisco lepers mostly contracted
the.curse in Honolulu, and they had the
characteristic Of all lepers-a desire to
20 to another country. Others doubtless
contracted the disease from the Chinese.
When white person gets the disease IN
Hawaii he invariably wants to leave the
country, and that is the reason why San
Francisco should have strict quarantine
laws to prevent the landing of the aliiiet.
ed, either Hawaiian or Chinese. The
disease is now more common in this
country than ever before, and if the
present condition OF affairs continues it
seems quite probable that it will gain
ground here.-[S. F. Report.